Skirmish-machine.



A. MOP. MOSWEENEY.`

SKIRMISH MACHINE.

APPLIoATlon FILED JULY s, 1910.

1,002,169. PatenteaAug.29,1911.

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A. M51'. MOSWEENEY.

SKIRMISH MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9r 1910. y 1,002, 1 69, vPatented Aug. 29, 1911.

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SKIRMISH MACHINE. APPLIGATION FILED JUL'YB. 1910.

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ANTHONY MCF. MOSWEENEY, F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

SKIRMISH-MACHINE.

To all 'whom 'Zt may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTHONY MCF. MCSWEENEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented a new and useful Skirmish-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention provides an engine of warfare which is self-propelling and armored so as to amply protect the `vital parts and the complement of men manning the same. The machine besides being selfpropelling, so as to move from place to place by its own power, is adapted for use as a traction engine for drawing ordnance, wagons," or vehicles containing supplies or munitions of war.

, The invention contemplates the provision of a machine of the character aforesaid which may be used for protecting the rear of coast defenses, bridges or other structures, or which may be employed to protect I' of the application, Figure 1 is a side view of a machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the lmachine on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a front view. Fig. 5 is a rearview of the machine.

. Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description, and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by

the same reference characters.

The machine comprises a shell or hollow body of peculiarformation'so as to afford protection alike for the machinery, armament and men manning and operating the same, said body being constructed of plate steel of suitable thickness according to location and the degree of resistance to be afforded to penetration. rlhe body of the machine is mounted upon front wheels 1 and rear wheels 2, said wheels being of substantial construction and armored in a way to protect them from injury or the pene- S'p'ecication of Letters Patent. Patented Allg. 1911.v l Application filed July 8, 1910. Serial No. 570,929.

tration of missiles that may come in contact therewith. The wheels are also supplied with yieldable tires, which are protected by suitable armor to prevent missiles disabling the same. The front wheels-1 are mounted to a'dmit of properly steering the machine and are 'moved from the interior of the body by means of the operator in the manner well understood in the manipulat-ionv of automobiles. The rear wheels 2 are utilized as drivers for propelling the ma chine. The engine 3 may be of any type and horsepower according to the work required thereof. Any means may be employed for transmitting power from the en;

gine to the drive wheels and as indicated' drive chains and sprocket chains are employed. The engine 3 is located at the front of the machine and is arranged in a separate compartment 4 through which a current of air is circulated so as to cool the engine and carry off the hot air, the cool air entering inlets 5 at the front of the -shell or body and passing out at 6 in the rear of the compartment 4. The compartment 7 in the rear of the engine compartment 4 isl adapted to receive the armament, the operator and the men manning the machine. The compartment 7 has a seat 8 for the operator and other seats 9 for the men or persons manning the machine. Lockers 10 are arranged along v'opposite sides "of the from the platform. The front of the body has a prow 14, which tapers laterally and 1.00,

upwardly and downwardly, the forward end being pointed. This prow enables thev vmachine toward olf obstructions in its path and in the event of cables or analogous d vices being placed across roadways the prow rides under or over said obstructions, thereby enabling the machine to clear the sante. Thefinlets 5 are formed inthe under walls of the prow and are thereby positioned so as to prevent ready access of missiles into the shell or bod-y. The upper portion l5 of the body is made rounding transversely' and t forwardly and downwardly inclined and has a tapered portion 16 between its front end and the rear portion of the upper walls of the prow 14. The sloping formation of the parts 15 and 1G enables the same to ward olf missiles as well as to ride under obstructions which are deiected upwardly by the prow 14. The body tapers as a whole from rear to front, the purpose being to present inclined walls which will serve to deflect missiles and obstructions. The upper portion of the body above the compartment 7 has a raised portion 17, the sides of which are forwardly converged and the top of which inclines forwardly and rearwardly and curves laterally, the walls presenting detlecting planes so as to shed or ward off missiles that may come in contact therewith, the inside of walls 17 being vertical from ioor to roof. An observation opening 18 is formed in the front portion of the raisedy part 17 and this opening is adapted to be closed by means of slides 19, which are operable by means of rack and pinions arranged within convenient reach of the operators seat 8. A nose bridge 20 is located in advance of the raised part 17 and serves to direct any obstruction passing over the part 15 upwardly to the top or roof of the part 17.

Small arms are located upon the walls of the shell or body in position for instant use when required. Turrets 21 are located upon opposite sides of the shell or body, preferably near the rear thereof and the vertical or outer walls of such turrets have horizontal slots 22 through which project machine guns 23, the latter being mounted to sweep 1n a circle so as to point to any angle from front to rear. The shell or body is completely inclosed at its top, bottom and sides and the means for transmitting power from the engine to the drive wheels are also housed or inclosed to protect them from injury. Search lights 24 are located near the front of the machine upon opposite sides of the raised portion 15 and are adapted to be protected by plates 25, which may be a1'- ranged to be moved aside so as to uncover the search lights when observations are to be made in dark places or after nightfall.

Various openings in the shell or body are sufficient for ventilation and by locating the engine in a compartment separate from that designed to receive the operator and persons manning the machine prevents overheating of the compartment? and the filling of the same with gases and obnoxious odors. Moreover, said compartment 4 may be cooled by circulatino' air therethrough, thereby preventing overieating of the engine, it being understood that fans or other means may be employed for creating a positive circulation of air.

The machine is self-propelling and asl hereinbefore stated may be used either to act as a convoy to a supply train or to draw vehicles containing munitions and supplies of war. The machine guns or rifles 23 may be used to advantage at long range and in close quarters the small arms forming a complement of the armament may be advan tageously used. The hollow body or shell by reason of its substantial structure serves as a protection to enable a comparatively small force to hold out against a larger force until assistance may be had. The advantages of a machine of the character set forth are readily understood both when the machine is used on the offensive or defensive.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying draw ings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention-appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which I now consider to be the embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

1. A skirmish machine comprising a hollow body, or shell, formed of inclosing walls of plate steel and tapering from front to rear and having a tapered prow and front and rear raised portions, each of the raised portions having its side walls forwardly7 converged and its top sloping and said body having a tapered portion between the prow andthe front raised portion.

2. A skirmish machinecomprising a hollow body or shell mounted upon wheels and embodying an engine for propelling the machine, said body having a raised portion and having turrets at the sides of the raised portion, said turrets being adapted to receive machine guns and having horizontal slots through which the guns may project and are adapted to sweep in a range from front to rear.

3. A skirmish machine comprising a hollow body mounted upon wheels and embodying an engine for propelling the machine, said body being subdivided into front and rear compartments, the front compartment receiving the engine and having cool air inlets and hot air outlets and the rear compartment being adapted to receive the operator and men manning the machine and the controlling devices and the armament, said rear compartment having a raised portion and the latter having turrets at its sides to receive machine guns or rifles, said turrets having horizontal slots to admit of the machine guns having a sweep or range of movement from front to rear.

` 4. A skirmish machine comprising a hollow body or shell formed of inclosing walls of plate metal and having said walls sloped or inclined to provide a plurality of deflecting surfaces for warding off missiles and obstructions, said body having a pointed prow at the front, a raised portion 1n the rear of said prow and an elevated portion at the rear, and having an observation opening formed in the front of the rear elevated,

portion, and a nose bridge between the front of said rear elevated iortion and the rear of the forward elevate portion.

5. A skirmish machine comprising a hol-- low body or shell formed of inclosing walls of plate metal and having said walls sloped or inclined 'to provide a lurality of deiecting surfaces for war ing ol missiles and obstructions, said body having a pointed prow at the front, a raised portion in the rear of said prow and an elevated portion at the rear and having an observation open-v ing formed in the front of the rear elevated portion, a nose bridge between the front of said rear elevated portion and the rear of the forward elevated ortion, and turrets u'pon opposite sides of tlie rear elevated por tion formed with Slotsthrough which rifles project and are adapted to be pointed to any ang'l'e within the range of movement from front to rear.

In testimon whereof I aiiix my signature Witnesses:

ARTHUR L. GENERAUX, B. C.. Es'ms. 

